Red Sox’ Masataka Yoshida named American League Player of the Week

In six games against the Blue Jays and Phillies last week, Yoshida went 12-for-25 (.480) at the plate with two doubles, two home runs, eight RBIs, seven runs scored, one walk, and zero strikeouts. The left-handed hitter is currently riding a league-leading 16-game hitting streak.

Following a 2-for-4 showing in Philadelphia on Sunday, Yoshida is now batting a stout .321/.403/.536 with six doubles, six homers, 24 runs driven in, 22 runs scored, two stolen bases, 13 walks, and 11 strikeouts in his first 29 games (129 plate appearances) with Boston this season.

Among qualified American League hitter coming into play on Monday, Yoshida ranks 14th in hits (36), fifth in batting average, sixth in on-base percentage, 11th in slugging percentage, seventh in OPS (.939), first in strikeout rate (8.5 percent), and ninth in wRC+ (155), per FanGraphs.

According to Baseball Savant, Yoshida has not swung and missed at a pitch since the start of May. Going back to April 20, when his hitting streak began, the 29-year-old out of Japan has slashed .438/.479/.750 with five doubles, five home runs, 18 RBIs, 14 runs scored, five walks, and six strikeouts over his last 16 games. His 16-game hitting streak is the longest active streak in the big-leagues and the third-longest of the season thus far.

Yoshida becomes the second member of the 2023 Red Sox to earn American League Player of the Week honors, joining fellow outfielder Adam Duvall, who won it for his performance during the first week of the season. Boston is now the first team this year to have multiple Player of the Week recipients.

On the other side of things, Braves catcher Sean Murphy took home National League Player of the Week honors. Fittingly, the Red Sox and Braves open a two-game series in Atlanta on Tuesday night.